Protective
by RachaelIsabella
Summary: So this is after Michael died, and how the team cope, mainly focuses on Stella and Shannon and the relationship they have with others in the team. So the main people are Stella, Shannon, Lawson and Josh. Please review it and get back to me :) I don't understand the rating thing...


At a knock on the door, Stella Dagostino looks up and pulls herself up off the bed with a groan. She didn't really want to answer it, but her phone had been ringing off the hook all day and it was pissing her off. The door was only a few steps from the bed, but for Stella each one required more effort and energy than she had at that point in time. Finally reaching the door, she yanked it open to reveal the person who had so rudely intruded on her wallowing and grief. "Hey Stel", Sergeant Shannon Henry had been one of the add-ons to the Tactical Response unit and her and Stella quickly became good friends. Grace had never really had any interest in becoming friends with Stella, so as sad as she was about a member of the team dying, she was happy to finally have a female on the team who wasn't about to fight her on everything.

Seeing Stella was by no means in the mood for a reunion, Shannon just gave a little smile and held up a bottle of liquor, similar to what Stella had brought her after she found out that Lawson had cheated on her with Tash. Smiling slightly Stella waved her in and after shutting the door behind her, plopped down on the lounge next to Shannon, who was already in the process of pouring glasses for the both of them. "So, not to be rude Shan, but are you only here to provide and encourage my alcohol addiction or is there some ulterior motive?" Barking out a laugh at Stella's bluntness, Shannon responded with, "I thought we could both use it after what we've been through". Stella took a moment to study her friend, "Still not talking to Lawson huh?" Shannon gave a slight shake of her head in response to the question and Stella took that as a chance to refill their glasses while saying, "All men are shit Shannon". And at that point Shannon had to agree.

The sound of a phone ringing had both women up and searching around the room until they found the offending phone under the lounge and with no clue as to how it got there, or whose it was, Stella picked it up and answered with a "Yellow?" The other end of the phone was silent and Stella had to pull it away from her ear to actually check that they hadn't hung up and as she did, she caught sight of the caller ID. "Ah Sergeant Brendan Joshua, what's up buddy?" She glanced at Shannon and then they both burst out laughing at the silence that still rang from the phone. Shannon, who by this point had had several drinks and was pouring herself another called out to Stella, "Oi, hang up Stel, he just wants to be an annoying asshole!" Giggling madly Stella threw the phone on the coffee table and flounced back to the lounge where she left her empty glass, which was quickly refilled by an also giggly Shannon who then decided that it was time for shots.

It was around twenty minutes later when both women were too drunk to even realise what they were drinking, when Shannon suddenly blurted out, "I was raped you know" Stella looked up surprised at her friends sudden confession, Shannon never really had been one to share her feelings. She was staring at the ground when she repeated herself. "I was raped. Oh God it sounds a lot worse out loud than it did in my head". When Stella still didn't respond Shannon said, "I guess I kind of just wanted someone to know. But Stel, please don't treat me any differently". At this Stella gave a small grimace, "I won't as long as you treat me the same as well". Shannon's head snapped up at that and upon seeing the wary look on the other brunette's face, she became a bit worried, "What's that supposed to mean Stel?" Stella, after taking a few deep breaths murmured, "Remember your first day as a sergeant, when I collapsed? I had a miscarriage". Shannon stared at her friend in shock and mouthed the word 'Michael', and at Stella's slight nod she stood up and joined her best friend on the lounge, and there they stayed for the rest of the night, sitting in comfortable silence, each consoling the other. However unbeknownst to them, they hadn't hung up the phone. And neither had Josh.


End file.
